Method of surface modification of polymer materials

ABSTRACT

A method of surface modification of polymer materials, according to which said materials are treated with an aqueous solution comprising a mineral acid, a mineral oxidant, and a salt of hydrochloric, hydrobromic, or hydroiodic acid. Water, said mineral acid, mineral oxidant and salt are taken in a weight ratio of 50-1000:0.3-7:0.1-7:1-15 respectively. By carrying out modification of polymer materials in accordance with the present method, the initial strength of the treated materials remains unaffected. Moreover, in the process of treating the materials, the latter acquire desired adhesion properties, whereby strength of cementing of polymer materials with each other, with metals, wood, glass-reinforced plastics and glass is ensured.

United States Patent Orlov et a1.

[451 Mar. 4, 1975 22 Filed: Sept. 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 291,344

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 55,289, July 15, 1970,

abandoned.

[52] U.S.Cl. 117/47 A, 117/47 R, 117/118, 117/138.8 UA, 117/139 [51] Int. Cl. B44d U092 [58] Field of Search 117/47 A, 118, 138.8 UA, 1 17/139, 47 R; 260/947 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,471,313 10/1969 Saubestre et a1 117/47 R 3,616,294 10/1971 Khelghatian 117/47 A Primary E.\'aminerWilliam D. Martin Assistant Examiner-Janyce A. Bell Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Holman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT A method of surface modification of polymer materials, according to which said materials are treated with an aqueous solution comprising a mineral acid, a mineral oxidant, and a salt of hydrochloric, hydrobromic, or hydroiodic acid. Water, said mineral acid, mineral oxidant and salt are taken in a weight ratio of 501000:O.37:O.1-7:115 respectively. By carrying out modification of polymer materials in accordance with the present method, the initial strength of the treated materials remains unaffected. Moreover, in the process of treating the materials, the latter acquire desired adhesion properties, whereby strength of cementing of polymer materials with each other, with metals, wood, glass-reinforced plastics and glass is ensured.

4 Claims, N0 Drawings METHOD OF SURFACE MODIFICATION OF POLYMER MATERIALS The present invention relates to methods of surface modification of polymer materials.

The surface modification is effected prior to cement-- ing polymer materials to each other, or prior to cementing polymer materials to metals, wood, glassreinforced plastics, or glass. A high strength of adhesion is of importance in this case, which is achieved by carrying out said surface modification.

A method of surface modification of polymer materials by treating them with an aqueous solution compriscumstance results in a sharp deterioration of the strength ofmaterials being treated. Difficulties encountered in washing out the acids from the surface of polymer materials brings about a deterioration in the adhe-.

sion properties of the latter.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a method of surface modification of polymer materials, which would make it possible to use aqueous solutions having lower concentrations of mineral acids,-

and thus to preserve the initial strength of materials being treated.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a method of surface modification, which would allow the removal of acids from the surfaces of polymer materials in the process of their washing, which, in turn, would allow the obtaining of the required adhesion properties of the treated polymer materials.

Still another object of the invention is to cut down the time required for treating the surface of polymer materials.

In accordance with said and other objects, the present invention resides in that surface modification of polymer materials is effected by treating the latter with an aqueous solution .comprising a mineral acid, a mineral oxidant and a salt of hydrochloric, hydrobromic or hydroiodic acid, said water, mineral acid, mineral oxidant and salt being taken in a weight ratio of 50-lO00:0.3-7:0.l7:ll5 respectively.

The method of the present invention, in contradistinction to that known heretofore, allows a drastic reduction in the initial concentration of the acid in the solution (from 98 down to 2.5%), and of the oxidant therein, whereby the modification process becomes essentially cheaper, and the initial strength of the material being treated remains unaffected. Moreover, the present method provides for cutting down the time required for the treatment (in some cases down to 5 sec.) with a view to obtaining the necessary adhesion properties of polymer materials.

In accordance with the present method, surfaces of various polymer materials may be modified such s those based on synthetic rubbers, including isoprene rubber, styrenebutadiene rubber, natural rubber, and the like.

In the present method as mineral oxidants use may be made of, e.g., potassium dichromate, potassium bromate, potassium permanganate, sodium perchlorate,

'etc.

As halides use may be made of sodium bromide, potassium chloride, potassium iodide, zinc bromide, etc.

The present method of surface modification of polymer materials is effected in the following manner.

First, aqueous solutions of a mineral acid, a mineral oxidant and a halide are prepared. Then the thus prepared solutions are poured into a vessel, and a polymer material to be treated is placed thereinto. The polymer material is kept in the vessel over a period of 5 to 120 sec. The time of keeping the material in the vessel depends on the nature of the polymer material being treated and on the composition of the treating solution.

After said period of keeping, the polymer material is washed with water and dried either at room temperature or with heating not over C.

For evaluating the adhesion properties of the treated materials, presented in Tables 2 and 3 are the results of testing the cemented materials for resistance to separation. The following adhesive compositions were used for cementing (the amounts of the constituents being specified in parts by weight):

Butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber, containing 2550% of acrylonitrile The cementing was carried out at room temperature. After having been kept during 1-3 days at room temperature, the cemented specimens were tested for separation on an adhesion tester.

Table 1 No. of Composition of Time of treatment, sec. treattreating soluvulcanizate Polymer material ing sotion, parts by Based Based Based Based Based lution weight on isoon buon naon poon poprene tadienetural lystylyamide rubber styrene rubber rene rubber I KBr l-lO KMnO 0.2-3.5 -30 -40 10-40 10-90 -120 H SO 0.5-5 H O 50-500 11 NaCl 1-10 KBrO 0.2-3.5 5-30 10-30 15-40 10-120 10-120 H PO 0.3-7 H O 50-800 111 Nail 0.5-10

KBrO 0.1-3 10-40 -30 -40 H SO 03.5 H O -700 VI NaBr 0.5-10

KBrO 0.1-3 5-15 10-30 10-30 HCl 0.7-7 K 0 50-500 V K1 0.5- 10 K Cr O 0.1-7 30-40 10-40 30-40 H 50 0.5-5 H O 50-800 VI KBr 1-10 KBrO 0.1-3 5-20 5-25 10-25 HNO 0.5-5 H O 50-500 VII ZnBr 1-10 NaClO 02-6 10-50 5-60 15-60 H 0.3-6 H O 50-700 VIII KBr 1-10 KBrO 0.2-5 10-90 10-100 H SO 0.5-7 H O 50-1000 Table 2 No. of treating solution (same) Resistance to separation of vulcanizate from as in Table 1) steel, kgf/cm Vulcanizate Vulcanizate Vulcanizate based on isobased on butabased on natural prene rubber diene-styrrubber ene rubber I 10.7 for vuI- 8.2 for vul- 10.2 for adhesive canizate canizate with tears of vulcanize II 8.2 for adhe- 8.0 for vul- 8.9 for adhesive sive with canizate with tears of tears of 7 vulcanizate vuleanizate w 10 1 for adhesive III 9.8 for vul- 9 0 for vulwith strong tears of can; t e canizate yulcanimtp IV 1 1.2 for vul- 9.7 for vul- 10.2 for vuleanizate canizate canizate V 10.8 for vu1- 9.8 for vu1- 9.9 for adhesive canizate canizate with tears of vulcanizate VI 1 1.4 for vu1- 10.0 for vul- 11.3 for vulcanizate canizate canizate V1] 8.7 for ad- 8.2 for vul- 8.4 for adhesive hesive with canizate with tears of tears of vulcanizate vulcanizate Table 3 Resistance of vulcanizate based on natural rubber, treated with solution No.1, to separation from various polymer materials, kgf/cm No. of treating solution employed for surface modification of polymer materials based on polystyrene and polyamide (same as Polymer material,

Polymer material,

in Table 1) based on polybased on polyamide styrene l 8.9 for adhesive 9.] for adhesive with tears of with tears of vulcanizate vulcanizate ll 7.8 for adhesive 10.0 for adhesive with tears of with tears of vulcanizate vulcanizate Vlll 10.2 for adhesive 1 1.2 for adhesive hydroiodic and hydrobromic acids, the water, said mineral acid, said mineral oxidant and said salt in said aqueous solution being taken in a weight ratio of 50l000:0.37:0.l-7:l-l5, respectively.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said polymer is isoprene rubber.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said polymer is styrene-butadiene rubber.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said polymer is natural rubber. 

1. A METHOD OF SURFACE MODIFICATION OF A POLYMER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ISOPRENE RUBBER, STYRENEBUTADIENE RUBBER, AND NATURAL RUBBER, TO THEREBY IMPROVE SUBSTANTIALLY THE SURFACE ADHESION PROPERTIES THEREOF, COMPRISING TREATING SAID POLYMER WITH AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION COMPRISING A MINERAL ACID, A MINERAL OXIDANT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF POTASSIUM BROMATE, POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE, AND SODIUM PERCHLORATE AND A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SODIUM, POTASSIUM, AND ZINC SALTS OF HYDROCHLORIC, HYDROIODIC AND HYDROBROMIC ACIDS, THE WATER, SAID MINERAL ACID, SAID MINERAL OXIDANT AND SAID SALT IN SAID AQUEOUS SOLUTION BEING TAKEN IN A WEIGHT RATIO OG 50-1000:0.3-7:1:15, RESPECTIVELY.
 2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said polymer is isoprene rubber.
 3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said polymer is styrene-butadiene rubber.
 4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said polymer is natural rubber. 